Organizations are facing escalating threats from phishing attacks, personal app usage and the widespread adoption of generative AI (GenAI) in workplaces.

According to a Netskope report, phishing attacks surged in 2024, with enterprise employees clicking on phishing links at a rate nearly three times higher than in 2023.

The study found phishing campaigns have evolved significantly, leveraging trusted platforms like GitHub, Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive to host malicious payloads.

Last year, malicious content was downloaded from these platforms in 88% of organizations at least once per month.

Cloud applications were the top targets, accounting for 27% of phishing clicks, with Microsoft standing out as the most impersonated brand at 42%.

“Defending against phishing requires a layered approach,” said Ray Canzanese, director of Netskope Threat Labs.
He recommended organizations deploy a secure web gateway (SWG) to block access to phishing sites and scan for malicious content in real-time.

Canzanese added that multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also critical—it won’t stop phishing entirely, but it makes it harder for attackers to compromise accounts.

“Behavioral analysis solutions are the third pillar, helping detect unusual access patterns that may indicate compromised credentials,” he said.

Beyond phishing, personal cloud apps continue to blur the lines between personal and enterprise data.

The report found that 88% of employees used personal apps monthly in 2024, with 26% of users uploading sensitive data, including regulated information, intellectual property and source code. This data leakage poses serious risks for organizations.

“To manage the risks posed by personal apps, organizations need robust policies that block unapproved apps or monitor data movement in real time,” Canzanese said.

Real-time user coaching can also reduce risk by providing employees with actionable feedback when they attempt to use personal apps for sensitive tasks.

“The controls should be customized based on an organization’s specific risk profile, and a modern SASE solution is essential for implementing these measures effectively,” he said.

GenAI Adoption Complicates Security

The rapid rise of GenAI apps adds another layer of complexity to enterprise security. Employee use of GenAI tripled in 2024, with 94% of organizations now using these tools.

However, only 45% of businesses have implemented data loss prevention (DLP) measures to control the flow of sensitive information into genAI apps, leaving significant security gaps.

“Organizations must develop an app governance framework that balances innovation with security,” Canzanese said. “This means allowing only approved genAI apps with valid business use cases and blocking sensitive data from being transmitted to them.”

From his perspective, a zero-trust approach is critical, which means treating all apps, even popular GenAI tools, as potential risks until they’ve been fully vetted.

Real-time user coaching and DLP tools are becoming indispensable as organizations grapple with the security challenges posed by GenAI.

Canzanese said these technologies must be optimized to ensure employees make informed decisions.

“If users frequently proceed after receiving warnings, it could indicate alert fatigue and the criteria for warnings may need to be adjusted,” he said. “Conversely, if users consistently avoid flagged actions, that feedback can be used to refine DLP policies before implementing automatic blocking.”

To keep pace with rising threats, Canzanese recommends a strategic, long-term approach to app governance.

“A practical strategy is to draw a line at the apps currently in use and require new apps to go through a request process for approval,” he said. “This approach, coupled with real-time user coaching, allows organizations to balance innovation with risk management effectively.”

Looking ahead to 2025, Canzanese highlighted the importance of building a cybersecurity culture that prioritizes continuous improvement.

He added the focus should always be on empowering employees with the right tools and training to make secure decisions.

“The pace of technological change, especially with GenAI, is only going to accelerate,” he said. “Organizations must stay agile, leveraging advanced tools like behavioral analytics, real-time monitoring and zero-trust frameworks to adapt to evolving threats.